Forensic petrology and geochemistry: tracking the source of a coal slurry spill, Lee County, Virginia

In October 1996, coal slurry blew out from a mine portal in Lee County, Vir ginia, precipitating a fish kill and pollution of streams leading to the Te nnessee River. The petrology and geochemistry of two slurries associated wi th coal mine portals, including the pollution source, and preparation plant fines associated with one of the mines were investigated. Maceral content and, in particular, microlithotype content distinguished the sources. Diffe rences in concentrations of Zr, Y, and the lanthanides provided a subtle se t of parameters for distinguishing between the sources, owing to the source of one mine slurry and the plant slurry from a coal known to have an enric hment in those elements. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .